Rumor Roundup: Kings must free up space for Williams, Jets search for blueline help

Rumors

Rumor Roundup: Kings must free up space for Williams, Jets search for blueline help

Justin Williams and the Los Angeles Kings are reportedly working on a new deal, but it could be shelved until the off-season. If the Kings can't clear some cap space, it may not matter. Meanwhile, with the injury to Jacob Trouba, the Jets search for defensive help.

LeBrun reports the Kings really want to retain the 33-year-old Williams, who loves playing and living in Los Angeles. Williams' agent, however, has informed management his client prefers not to negotiate during the season. If a deal isn't reached soon, talks could be shelved until season's end.

If the salary cap increases to the projected $73 million, the Kings will have roughly $13 million to re-sign their key players. Williams is currently earning $3.050 million in acutal salary and a annual cap hit of $3.65 million. Unless he's willing to accept a pay cut, the Kings lack sufficient space to re-sign Williams, pay their RFAs their raises and have enough to retain or replace Stoll, Regehr and McBain.

Assuming currently suspended defenseman Slava Voynov ($4.166-million annual cap hit) remains on the payroll next season, the Kings will have to shed salary to free up sufficient room to retain their key players.

The Winnipeg Free Press' Gary Lawless reports Cheveldayoff is working on acquiring a defenseman, hoping to turn one of his fourth-line forwards into a third-pairing blueliner. Lawless believes if the price is too high Cheveldayoff is better off riding this out instead of risking a bad trade, though it's up to the Jets GM to keep shopping for help.

If Cheveldayoff's planning a move he'll have to make it soon. The NHL's holiday trade freeze kicks in at midnight on December 19 and runs through midnight on December 27.

Rumor Roundup appears regularly only on thehockeynews.com. Lyle Richardson has been an NHL commentator since 1998 on his website, spectorshockey.net, and is a contributing writer for Eishockey News and The Guardian (P.E.I.).